Frying Pan Fire Situation
by Timoteo Montenegro The Third
Summary: When panic sets in within Princess Alessandra's kingdom, it seems the original cat in boots is the only one who can calm the situation. But will it turn his cross road into a path? K plus for perhaps nasties later.
1. A Disturbing Tale

A/N: I am making no money off of this, it's just for fun. A further adventure with the "three diablos", though reformed now, from the short included with the movie.

Also, I have the kittens able to talk in this because otherwise...the story sort of stalls out of the gate ;)

Chapter 1

Timmy, also known as Sir Timoteo Montenegro The Third, stared forward. His very own mentor, Senor Puss in Boots, had given him that title, saying it would carry him through all, and he wanted to prove that it would. Wanted to prove that the legendary cat was right in putting faith in him and his siblings.

So, as he, Perla and Gonzalo stood by the side of Princess Alessandra Bellagamba's throne, listening along with her to the tale the knight had to tell, the little gray kitten tried to hold the composure of a personal guard and not flinch or even frown as he wanted to do while listening.

Gonzalo also struggled with not showing his emotions, mainly that of skepticism and doubt.

"You...say you saw something...odd?" the princess had begun, clarifying after the knight had come stumbling through and over to explain about the great threat within the castle.

"Yes, Your Highness" the knight stated, head still down as he bowed, he lifted up just slightly, enough to look at her as he went on.

"Something odd that is still within this castle. We must start up a search, it...".

A slight laugh, an act of speaking out of turn but one that couldn't be helped, from one of the guards by the door, cut his comrade off. "Gilles!" he slightly chastised, "Come now, let's not frighten Her Highness with fairy tales; Um, pardon my intrusion Your Grace" the knight nodded to the princess, "but I felt Gilles should not go on spreading fear where there is cause for none".

He seemed to be looking just at the princess, but Timmy thought he caught the knight side glance over to him. Had he shown some of the fear this was causing on his face? Timoteo stood straighter, trying to cover for this, and his hat slid of his head.

Glancing behind him, he tried to figure out if he should break posture to get it or just leave it. While one of her guards was thus occupied, the princess motioned for the knight to go on.

"Thank you" she nodded to the one by the door who gave his attempt at calming the situation, "but I think we should hear out all Sir Gilles has to say. Please, go on" she nodded.

Sir Gilles swallowed, and continued, though even Timmy's lacking attention span and pausing to finally pick up his hat, caught that the knight would rather not re-live it; but for the sake of the kingdom, went on.

"I was down in the kitchen" he began, "making...um, well, making sure the cook was making the pastries for the evening correctly". There were sighs and eye rolls from some of the other knights at this and what Gilles meant. He had been sneaking treats.

Gonzalo gave a slight chuckle, until Perla shot him a look that said to act dignified, as a guard should. From the other side of the chair, Timmy just stood there, studying Gilles. Even as the knight told this part, the tremor was in his voice of what he knew followed.

Ignoring his fellows amusement at his admitting to slightly embarrassing breaches of proper knight etiquette, Gilles pressed on in his story.

"As I stood there, trying to talk Iridessa into the value of my cause, a loud bang sounded at the back door of the kitchen. I call it a bang rather than a knock because that is what best describes the loud sound".

"Yet no one else heard this extremely loud knock of yours" another of the guards pointed out.

"You were all far enough away, at higher levels, that I don't find that surprising" Gilles went on, hardly seeming to break stride in his narrative.

"What of the princess' own guards?" another in the room pointed out, "cats are often praised for their hearing. Did any of you hear this extremely loud knock?" he looked between all three for an answer.

They all three just stared back, as confused as everyone else. No they had heard nothing.

"We shall not bring the kittens into this" Princess Alessandra rose. "Gilles" she addressed the knight once more, "did you see any of whatever it is you claim came into the castle?" she got to the point of the knight's narrative, what were they facing and what should they look for.

"No, Your Highness" the knight bowed once more before lifting his gaze, his mouth a tight line in his anxiousness as he went on, "All I saw was a giant, but hard to describe beyond that, shadow and yellow eyes and...then it slammed the door into me, and when I came to...".

Giles shut his eyes, as if fighting with the fact that he knew all this was true but also knew how it looked, "Iridessa was over me, checking me and asking what happened. She...she said she didn't see anything either, just the open door".

"So, in other words, if it is here, it's hiding in the mouse holes" another knight grinned.

Gilles leapt up and suddenly pinned him to the wall, "Do you honestly think I would come before the princess herself and tell such lies! I swear to you, it happened!".

"Gentlemen, please!" Princess Alessandra snapped, gaining both of their attention and a bow of apology from both.

"It has been a long day" she went on, "but as no evidence can yet be found, I suggest we wait until morning and then question Iridessa on the events as well. Truly something strange does seem to have happened, whether hallucination or real".

Gilles seemed about to protest, but then corrected himself in addressing the princess. He simply bowed along with the others before leaving the hall.

"Well, let's all get to bed, shall we?" the princess turned to her three personal guards she had grown to at least like once figuring out they were reformed; it was still just so odd though...their being cats, but then she had hired a famous cat for the important job that brought her the guards in the first place.

The three bowed and then began their nightly ritual of leading the princess up to her room before turning into their own rooms on either side of hers, Perla on the left and the two boys staying in the one to the right. Each room also had a door in the wall that faced the princess' room for easy access should an alarm be sounded.

"Well" Gonzalo commented on the walk up, and partly for putting the princess at ease as well as just to comment his own opinion, "If the others are right and our attacker is simply hiding within a mouse hole, he shouldn't be too much trouble to defeat" the orange kitten gave a showy grin as the kids and princess reached the top floor and doors to their rooms.

Alessandra gave the perhaps boldest of her guards a smile fitting of any child having said this. Gonzalo just smiled back before going into the princess room to check it over before she went in.

"If you wish us to stay on guard outside the door longer tonight than we do other nights, we'd be happy to do such" Perla said.

"That won't be necessary children, thank you" the princess nodded as Gonzalo came out once more, "I still feel, mysterious though it all is, this is not anything to worry over just yet; good night".

"Good Night, Your Highness" they all repeated as she walked into and shut the door of her own room.

"Well, you heard her, we get to turn in too" Gonzalo walked over towards his and Timmy's door. Perla shook her head at her brother quickly taking to this leave of absence, then noticed how quiet Timmy had been. Her other brother had never been known for many words, but this few was odd even by his standards.

"Timmy?" Perla questioned looking over at him and cocking her head. Her brother didn't answer, just followed Gonzalo over to their door and even turned the handle, when his brother jabbed his shoulder.

"Oh come on! You're not actually getting worked up over that dumb knight's story are you?" the orange kitten asked.

"It...I just...wish he hadn't told us...it...it's creepy" Timmy said quietly. This wasn't really putting into words all the trepidation Timmy felt, but he had always had a problem with expressing himself properly. He was the one of them always a step behind and it was causing problems even now as he couldn't even fully say how the story made too much sense.

It was possible, for himself, Timoteo Montenegro the Third, to run into a door because he didn't see it, but not a knight of the castle. They had never been so unobservant in all the time the kittens had served here, or even in all their time as henchmen and prisoners.

None of the knight force able to chain such wily kittens as they'd been were so inept. But, again, "Creepy" was as far as he could explain all this.

"Aw, Timmy" Perla gave him a smile. Since they had all started in the "right direction", she was a lot nicer to him for his being a step behind. She now walked over to place a hand on his shoulder. "The princess is probably right, it's nothing".

"Yeah, Gilles is probably just trying to scare us even" Gonzalo went on. Timmy just nodded, but none of his siblings could tell if he took their answers or not.


	2. I Saw Something

Chapter 2

The princess had been very generous to these kittens now acting as her personal guard, and had three beds built to their odd height specifications of not even having reached two inches.

Timmy was suddenly glad she had been so nice, though, and that there were also covers embroidered with the same print as was on their uniforms, their print now, on them.

Somehow when you were lying awake in the middle of the night and a dark room, the very simple act of pulling the covers close to your nose and having them as a sort of shield felt more secure than if you'd had nothing, like Timmy would have had he just had a cat bed or something.

"Gonzalo..." he whispered once more, peering back out and turning to glance to his brother's bed across the room. He had figured out a while ago, though, that Gonzalo had fallen asleep. Timmy turned to look at the ceiling once more.

There was nothing to be afraid of, nothing was in the castle he told himself, Gilles was just insane or messing with them, as Gonzalo had said. Closing his eyes, Timmy tried to get back to sleep.

That's when he heard the loud bang, perhaps exactly what Gilles had heard before and spoken off. Timmy shot up in bed, "Gonzalo! Did you hear that!". The orange kitten just rolled over, muttering something yet not moving.

"Gonzalo!" Timmy called again, but his brother didn't move. Timmy sighed. Ok, odd noise in the middle of the night, whatever other terrible possibilities ran through his head, he knew his duty as a guard stated he should check that the princess was still alright.

With Gonzalo asleep, he guessed he was on his own in that. Giving a gulp, Timmy slid out of bed and set his paws on the floor, tip-toeing across the room. He eased open the small door to the princess' room and peered in. All seemed fine and nothing was out of place. The princess was snoozing and slightly snoring.

Timmy sighed, oddly both relieved and more confused now. He wondered if Perla had heard anything. Tip-toeing across the princess' room now, he eased open the small door to Perla's room.

"Perla..." he whispered. He found the same situation, though, his sister asleep. Maybe he had imagined it, Timmy was just thinking, when suddenly the thud sounded again, just outside Perla's door, it seemed.

Timmy jumped at the sound. He also wasn't sure, but he may have heard maniacal laughter! How was everyone sleeping through this?

Though he wanted to hide, he also just needed to see what this was. He rushed over to open the nearest door to the outside hall, Perla's. Thankfully his night vision all cats had enabled him to see without having to get a candle that might also alert his presence to whatever it was out here.

He was still hesitant to exactly leave the room, and instead tried to peer out as far as he could with his back feet still in Perla's room as his front feet gripped the door. This only half worked and after leaning so far, he lost his grip and went tumbling into the hallway.

Shaking himself, he stood and glanced about. Everything seemed normal and ordinary. Timmy sighed, "It was nothing" he told himself, "you just...".

A sudden sound, off to his right, a fluttering of some kind, suddenly drew Timmy's attention. Drawing his wooden sword he hadn't removed in his nervousness when going to sleep, he pointed it towards where the sound came from. The window at the far end of the hall was opened, something Timmy thought not very good, and a lone blue bird sat perched on the sill.

Timmy lowered his sword. "A...bird?". He gave a small laugh, "it was only a bird".

Putting his sword away, he gave a small smile to the creature, "Hey birdie...", Timmy walked forward, "Don't worry, I won't eat ya. We eat the princess' food. It's good, and there's often lots of desserts".

As he walked forward Timmy found himself rambling a bit due to his fear and then relief. "Did you scare Sir Gilles yesterday too birdie? Well, you probably didn't mean it I know, but you've caused a lot of trouble" he said, stretching one small paw out and hoping he could maybe get the bird to trust him enough to light on it.

* * *

><p>The noise that did, finally, awaken Gonzalo, Princess Alessandra, and Perla, was that of Young Sir Timoteo Montenegro III's yells from out in the hallway.<p>

"Timmy" Perla bolted over to her already opened door and out into the hallway. It was empty. Gonzalo darted out of his room next as well and the Princess appeared at the doorway to her room.

Quick as flash, Gonzalo darted about the hallway, doing a thorough examination. "No sign of him" he reported to Perla, flipping to land next to her. "But I doubt he would have just left without a good reason".

"Yeah, same here..." Perla examined the floor, and finally, the first concrete evidence of something bigger being behind all this was found, Timmy's sword lay in the middle of the floor, broken in half.

"D-Did he hit something with it, you think?" the princess asked.

"I don't know" Perla said, before standing, "but Princess, I suggest you get back inside your chambers until we return, and close both your door as well as our small ones. We shall be back once we figure out exactly what is in here and find our brother".

With a nod, the princess obliged, hoping nothing had happened to the little gray kitten.

"Come on, Gonzalo!", the words were barely out of Perla's mouth before she was darting down the hallway.

"Oh, I should have known..." she sighed. Going over the regret she now felt at having pushed aside Timmy's fears when there might now be something to them.

At the base of the stairway, Perla and Gonzalo found themselves back in the throne room and they scanned about.

"Perla! Here!" Gonzalo darted over to the big doors of the castle, the one's that lead to the bridge. Perla rushed after him. The doors being opened was a very bad sign, and she couldn't imagine Timmy would have foolishly darted out through them, since even he would know of the security breech that would cause.

If he had...then he must have been terribly frightened. But of what? Still she tried to remind herself that with his lacking attention span, Timmy's own imagination could sometimes over frighten him.

She and Gonzalo went through the doors and scanned about the grounds. "Timmy" Perla called.

"If you don't come out, I'm gonna use your hat you left behind as a trough to feed the horses in" Gonzalo called in teasing, trying to hide his own fear of both the unknown and for his brother behind it.

"Gonzalo, stop, you're not helping the situation" Perla resorted to slapping her brothers again as she hit his arm. She suddenly caught a slight sound, from over near a pile of hay in a wagon that had yet to be wheeled back to the stables. It sounded like sniffles.

She walked closer, Gonzalo right behind her. "Timmy..." she called, softer this time since they were right there.

"Careful, it could still be anything" Gonzalo said. Perla climbed up on the horse hitch of the wagon and over into the straw. Moving aside some, she soon uncovered the little gray kitten that they had been looking for.

She sighed, "Timmy...what are you doing out here?".

"I...I just wanted to see what it was doing there, it seemed like such a nice little birdie...but it wasn't!" Timmy semi-rambled, still not having noticed his sister.

"Timmy!" she touched his shoulder. The gray kitten jerked, glancing up and now noticing her.

"P-Perla..." he whispered. He suddenly launched forward and hugged her.

Perla glanced back to Gonzalo, as if seeking answers to their brother's strange behavior. Gonzalo had nothing in way of theory though, and just shrugged, looking just as lost as her.

Timmy didn't let up on his all but death grip of a hug on his sister, yet glanced up to scan the skies. "W-where'd it go..." he whispered.

"Where'd what go, Timmy?" Gonzalo climbed up into the wagon now, "What was it?". The gray kitten just shook his head, not saying anything else.

"Maybe we should talk about it in the morning" Perla said, "Come on, Timmy, let's get inside".

Timmy nodded, liking this idea, yet he still scanned the skies as they walked in, walking close to and not leaving his siblings' side.

Princess Alessandra sighed in relief as they all three came back into the hallway. "Well, are you alright?" she bent to glance to Timmy. The kitten just nodded, glancing down, and then about.

The princess frowned, glancing to the other two, "What...happened, what is it?".

"We don't know" Perla sighed and shrugged, "but it shook him up pretty bad".

With a nod, the princess sighed, "Well, given the circumstances, perhaps you children should sleep on the couch in my chambers tonight, just to help your brother out".

Perla nodded, "That sounds good, thank you, Princess. Come on, Timmy". She and Gonzalo lead their now very very quiet brother into the Princess' chambers and over to the couch. They eventually got him to settled down to sleep, right next to them, though, but first more banging was heard that night as Timmy nailed the windows and closet of the princess room shut.


	3. The Issue Deepens

Chapter 3

"Iridessa, one of my guards is so scared that he refuses to come out of his room" Princess Alessandra stated, standing within the confines of the royal kitchen, "Now please, what happened yesterday".

"I don't know what to tell you, Your Highness" the cook shook her head, "I saw nothing. Gilles was down here with me, sampling the desserts as he no doubt told you. I was informing him that he was sampling quite too many, to be honest, and he argued back some sort of excuse when he claimed he heard something by the door. I had just bent near the stove to check on more of the entrees, so I heard nothing, and didn't think much of it either. Gilles walked over to the door and the next thud, that I did hear, was that of the door swinging wide. I turned, but saw nothing except Gilles on the floor by the door, having been knocked aside and all but unconscious. I went to help him and he started babbling about some huge shadow. I...I thought it was merely from the hit, honestly".

"You saw nothing, no foot prints, nothing?" Alessandra asked with a sigh.

"Nothing. Though, given how he had just suffered a head trauma, I honestly did not look closely" Iridessa said, "Young Juni came in shortly after, He said he saw nothing either" she went on.

"J-Juni?" the princess' brow furrowed.

"Oh forgive me" Iridessa smiled, "Juni is a young boy who showed up about two days ago, he is taking care of an aging grandfather and asked if I had any work for him, I have been letting him help out here in the kitchen. I hope you don't mind...".

"No, it's quite alright" Alessandra raised a hand with a smile. "Well, thank you anyway" she turned to depart.

She met one of the knights, the one who had been the most skeptical of Gilles story, on the stairway on her way up to the higher levels of the castle once more. "Ok, I'm still not saying I believe any of this" he began, "but we may have a problem".

"It's the prisoners" he went on as the princess hastened her steps up the stairs, towards him, "they've started up with this story too, of some dark shape down there with them in the dungeons".

Despite the fear that was starting to rise, the princess calmed herself. She had to remain level headed. "Get me my guards!" she called, then correcting herself, "Or, just Perla and Gonzalo on second thought" she went on, no need dragging Timmy into this when he was still so shaken. She would be fine with only two of her three guards, she figured. Besides, Gonzalo had enough spunk to take on anything himself.

"Gilles!" she called to her knight as she spotted him in the main hall, "If you feel up for it, I need someone who has faced whatever this is before to come with me and tell me if you see anything similar".

Gilles nodded, "Of course, Your Highness". He fell into step with the princess and other knight as they made their way towards the dungeons. Perla and Gonzalo soon rushed over as well, and at first the princess hoped that her summoning them for this hadn't caused them too much fear either, for they both looked frantic.

"Princess!" Perla stopped in front of her and bowed, "I...I feel it may be a good thing you didn't summon Timmy at this time, since..." standing and glancing to her brother, she seemed to be searching for words.

"He's gone" Gonzalo said.

"Gone?" the princess asked, stunned. What was going on within her kingdom?

"Yes. He left this" Gonzalo said, handing over up a sheet of paper. The kitten looked very nervous of how their monarch might take this news as he handed over the paper.

The princess took and read it, the words conveyed their message clear enough. Her eyes went wide, "He's not!".

Perla nodded, "He's...gone to find Senior Puss in Boots...and Gonzalo and I aren't even sure if we should follow him or stay here to protect you".

Folding the paper, Alessandra thought for a bit and then bent down to the two kittens. "No, as capable as both you children are, we don't need more of you rushing out to danger. There may be enough here" she stated.

"Gilles" she glanced over to the knight, "would you prefer a re-directed mission? I think we can handle examining the clues here. Get a party together and see if you can't overtake and talk some sense into Young Timoteo".

"Yes, Your Highess" the knight bowed, looking just a bit relieve of this switch, but also determined.

"If...if he has managed to find Senore Boots...and he wishes to help, I...I won't refuse the assistance" Alessandra went on. She didn't want to ask too much of the cat, or sound desperate, but felt the knowledge should be passed along in case it came up.

Gilles nodded before heading towards the stables and to round up a force. Alessandra, Perla and Gonzalo watched him go for a bit, then the princess turned to the other knight with her.

"Lead on" she stated. With a nod, he did so and the princess and her two guards followed him towards the dungeons.

* * *

><p>Along the way, the princess recruited two other knights to come with her and investigate the dungeon. As the four humans and two cats opened the top door to the lower dungeon levels, they found near pandemonium and a ruckus of just noise .<p>

Despite hearing of the situation on their way down, Perla and Gonzalo hadn't expected nearly the level of chaos they now encountered! Each immediately drew their wooden swords just in case. The swords may have been only wood, and assumed children's toys, but both the kittens could defend well enough with them thanks to the skills they possessed.

They went down the steps first, ahead of the princess, with her knights in back, forming a full guarding barrier. Shouting of all kinds seemed to come fro every cell, though the level of panic was different and causing different reactions.

Some prisoners were huddled to the back of their cells, murmuring. Others shouted at apparently nothing but shadows on the wall, or each other.

"Silencio!" the princess tried at regaining control. It appeared to have no effect.

"Maybe we should get the princessa's announcer guy who's only job is to tell people her name, he's pretty loud" Perla said, only barely heard over the noise. Gonzalo wasn't so patient.

"Perros!" he of course meant a double insult when he called the prisoners dogs, "the Princessa called for silence!". The orange kitten turned and pointed his sword towards one prisoner, who started back.

"Gonzalo" Perla stepped up to push her brother's sword down before facing the prisoner, who was at least paying attention to them now.

The knights seemed to be getting through to more as well, and soon the noise level lowered.

Even as just normal kittens, Perla and her brothers were still considered cute and had that advantage in their favor without always having to pull "the cute eyes". Perla hoped it would work here, and her just normal level cuteness would be enough.

"Please, what happened?" she asked the prisoner she was facing, turning to one of the knights and signaling him to open the door so as to aid her questioning. She knew freeing prisoners, even scared ones, wasn't a good idea, but recalled that this one's only transgression had been stealing bread once, and so he was maybe not too dangerous.

Two of the knights stood at either side of the door as they opened it, just to be sure.

All this, and the calming sense Perla gave off of speaking gently and being just an adorable kitten, seemed to work somewhat and the prisoner bent to be level with her, taking in a breath to speak, but still appearing shaken. "I...I don't even know" he began.

"I don't know if you know what kind of noises are down here in the middle of the night...".

"I do" Perla said softly, but didn't dwell on this.

"Well, ya listen to that enough nights, and you get to where it takes more than just shadows and noises to scare ya!" the prisoner insisted, "There was something down here!".

"Yes, that seems to be about all anyone can say" the princess tried to keep the impatience from her voice, "Please, tell me, _what_ exactly did you see!" she half begged.

The prisoner turned his gaze to her, and if his tone had not been so serious, Alessandra would have doubted the words. "A tiger" he stated, "down here, in the dungeons with us".

"A what?" Gonzalo asked. "Come on! There's no way a tiger could have just walked through the castle and just made it down here!".

"Still that is what we saw!" another prisoner backed up this story, "before it disappeared just as soon as it had come!"

With a sigh, Gonzalo brought a paw up to his forehead, "Ok, I don't know what Timmy's problem was last night, but I think the fumes are getting to you all down here! It's nothing to be ashamed of, could happen to anyone, I mean it does actually stink down here with no toilet paper, but...".

A low growl suddenly cut the kitten off. Everyone turned towards the spot it came from, hidden in shadow. Now dropping his previous statement, Gonzalo raised his sword once more as did Perla.

"Steady men!" one of the knights said as they made a circle about the princess, "As the princess' guard said, whatever it is, it can not be a tiger. This dungeon hallway is not big enough to hide...".

His words were cut off and flung back at him as the orange and white stripped head, most definitely of tiger shape and make, followed by a body, crept from the shadows.


	4. Legend

Chapter 4

As he rode on, on a tiny colt from the stables probably not much older than himself, Sir Timoteo Montenegro III began to have serious doubts about his whole plan. He didn't even know where he was going, he just followed the last vague directions he had received in regards to where Senor Puss in Boots was.

They led him to the edge of a town, at night. He wondered why he had to be doing things at night so much, just the natural order of how the sun rose and fell he supposed, still he would have rather walked scary hallways and searched strange towns out in the bright light of the sun.

Leaping down from the colt's back, Timmy tied it at a nearby stable and flung the owner a bit of the gold he and his siblings still got as payment for their services.

The owner watched the tiny booted kitten glance about unsurely after having done this. "Can I help ya, kid?" he offered.

"I'm looking for Senior Puss in Boots" Timmy tried to sound as grown-up and confident as he could, "a group of...um, I think they were ranchers...said he was last seen here".

Even the should be just innocent ranchers had seemed slightly creepy as they glanced up from their camp fire's glow to address his question. Then again, maybe that had been the night again.

"Yes, I believe he's still down at The SpitGlass" the stable owner pointed down the road to the local saloon.

"Oh, thankyou!" it was the first real glimmer of hope Timmy had had in a while. If Puss was in the very town, then maybe he really did have nothing to fear. He quickly skipped off towards the building the stable owner had pointed out.

Luckily it was a loose, all but lawless town, and what laws they did put up didn't involve kids walking into saloons, so none stopped Timmy as he walked under the swinging doors and glanced about.

A few turned to glance towards him as he slowly walked further down the middle of the wooden floor. He wasn't sure if it was because he was a cat or a kid, but figured maybe it was best to assume the last.

"Well, looks like the dog drug in a little bit of fluff this time" a patron laughed. More laughter followed his statement, not the whole tavern just yet, only a few of his friends.

Timmy paused, turning towards the man and trying to determine if he should take offense. His slightly insulted frown seemed to have already taken offense though.

From a corner of the room, a black hat tipped up and green eyes just watched.

Timmy attempted to recall all the trouble he and his siblings had been before, how they were a set not messed with, and thus capable of their job as the princess' guard in the first place. That and he had just rode out across miles of desert to find the one place that Senior Puss in Boots was most likely in. He was no push over.

Yet...then the kid recalled his own fear and hiding from the fiend that now wreaked havoc on the castle. That and...he hadn't ever really done anything without the support of his siblings, and, truth be told, needing Perla to give the orders on what they did in the first place.

"What's wrong kitty? Get yourself lost from your mama?" another tavern patron joined in the teasing.

Timmy stood straighter, "I'm looking for Senior Puss in Boots!" he stated, "have either of you seen him?"

"Aw, kitty's lost his washed up outlaw papa" the first patron laughed. Now more joined in. "What, you need him to save you from stray doggies?"

From over in the corner, the black hatted figure's hand went to his sword and gripped it hard, yet the figure struggled to control himself and not leap out and meet this insult. Not yet.

Sir Timoteo swallowed and went on, forcing courage in his voice, "It is a matter of royal safety" he stated, "and I would...uh...thankyou if..." his grand speech fell a bit as the three men to have been teasing him now stood. "...you would tell me...where...".

Much as he tried to go on, Timmy was cut off as one of the men roughly hoisted him up by his collar.

From the corner, the figure now sat up, and green eyes flashed dangerously. None else had noticed, though.

"Oh, so you serve royalty, huh?" the man asked. "Hey boys!" he turned to the other two, "How much do you think we could get for this little loyal guard's ransom? Would this Princessa hand over half her gold, huh?".

Greedy though outlaws of his status could be, he was still mainly just teasing and having fun with the kid. Not that he wouldn't explore ransom options if they actually did prove a worthy track.

Scared stiff, but also highly annoyed, Timmy flailed, trying to free himself. "Let me go!" he shouted, then more pleading, "Please! You...even you don't want to face what she does now! I must find Senor Puss!"

Another of the men laughed, poking at the kitten just in further tormenting fun.

Annoyance growing stronger, Timmy frowned, and as the human's hand came back over, the kitten lashed out, scratching at it deeply.

"Ow!" the man jerked back. Timmy next got the one holding him to release him by way of lashing his other claw out to come in contact with the man's cheek. With a cry as well, the man dropped him.

Timmy turned to try and land correctly as he tumbled towards the ground, but, again, couldn't quite recall the correct technique, and instead was headed down stomach first.

He felt himself nudged aside and aided to the correct landing position though, and coming to his back feet perfectly, he glanced over to find Senor Puss in Boots himself standing there between him and the men, sword drawn.

"I would not be trying it!" the orange cat and legendary outlaw stated as the men made to charge forward. "This kid alone could rip you to shreds and we really don't want to find out what happens when I help, do we?".

The men did seem to falter. They didn't retreat, though, and so Puss figured they needed further encouragement. He flexed his claws, and three pairs of pants dropped to reveal bright boxers.

Puss next leaned forward with a hiss. Even from Timmy and his siblings' early outlaw history as well, the little gray kitten had become very good at taking cues and being intimidating with his siblings, so he now backed up his mentor with a hiss of his own as well, even of it came out less intimidating.

With cries, the three fled the tavern, and the other patrons quickly disappeared as well.

Relaxing and sheathing his sword once more with a side grin, Puss laughed. "Humans". He then turned to face the kitten behind him. "Well, Sir Timoteo Montenegro the Third" he of course used the kid's full title he had given him, in this instance.

"Senor Puss!" the kitten smiled very, very happily; yet also removed his little hat to begin to bow in honor. He was interrupted and distracted from this though, as suddenly Puss moved forward and hugged the kid.

Timmy paused. Such shows of his true feelings and affection were always hard pulled from Puss and thus more showing and shocking when they did come.

The legendary outlaw stepped back after a short bit though, but the happiness was hard to not see in his face as well. "What is this of a terror in the Princessa's castle?" he nonetheless asked on what he had figured out even from the kid's talk.

He instantly sort of regretted the question, necessary though it was and hard avoided for long from a cat of business such as Puss was. Still, instantly, with the inquiry, Timoteo Montenegro III's smile fell, and pure fear filled his eyes.

"It...it...". Head shaking, the kid faltered with his words yet again.

Puss kept an arm about young Timmy's shoulders, seeing how shaken the kid was, as he led the both of them over towards a table in the now all but abandoned tavern.

He knew the bar keep was still there, though, and snapped his claws, "Two leche!" he ordered. These were immediately brought over and when Puss paid, he handed the man some extra coins. "For the...uh, chased off revenue" he gave a small sort of apologetic smile, never liking to interfere with the day to day business of more or less hard working citizens.

The man nodded, "Thank you, Senor. I will, uh, bring cookies as well" he walked off to get the treats, complimentary. After he left, Puss glanced back over to the kitten sitting across from him and staring down at his milk, a bit distracted and possibly worried over something.

"How are your brother and sister doing? Good?" he questioned, trying to get the kid to talk at least a bit. He meant the question in general a bit, but Timmy glanced up to answer it specifically.

"I hope so" he said. "I mean we've been good, even fought back a few small threats".

"As I had no doubt you could" Puss smiled proudly, nodding as the bar keep returned with complimentary cookies and then left.

"This time is...different?" Puss went on to ask.

Timmy nodded, meeting his mentor's gaze, "I uh...Sir I don't know what it is?" he stated simply, and the fear came back once more to both his voice and eyes, "because it seems to be everything!".

He wasn't surprised when Puss looked perplexed, he still didn't understand it himself. "One of the knights saw something that knocked him out, and after seeing some of the...thing, I believe him when he said it could do it. Then I went out and found a small bird on a windowsill, but it didn't stay a bird. It...it turned into...well first a bear and then a...a great green sort of...monster that chased me down the hall and outside!".

Timmy riffled in his pockets, "I drew a picture of the monster part I saw, I dunno if that's what it looks like most times or just another...thing for it to look like, but...it's the only thing I don't recognize as anything".

Pulling out a sheet of brown paper, he unfolded it and handed it over to Puss. Both of the cats noticed the bar keep had come back over to their table. Puss stared at the rounded head of a something with great teeth and two round ears that stuck out on either side.

"What...is that?" he asked himself.

The bar keep's eyes went wide and he took the paper, breathing but one word as fear clouded his own voice. "Ogre...".


	5. Meeting with the Enemy

A/N: So, now that the...well "cat's out of the bag", yeah the terrorizer is an Ogre. I'm afraid this isn't exactly Shrek, where the good points of Ogre's are argued for. Puss started out as an Orgre Killer and thusly, my version of how that started means he has to meet an Ogre that pretty much perpetuates the rumor.

Chapter 5

Gilles and the other men made their way along the dusty trails of endless expanses of desert, asking and receiving similar clues as to where the small kitten on horseback that they tracked had gone.

The knight shook his head, wondering again on what the kid was thinking coming out here alone and hoping that he was alright.

"There's something up ahead, and coming fast" one of the other knights he had recruited nodded towards a dust cloud that seemed to travel towards them. Gilles shielded his eyes to get a better look and soon two horses could be seen coming from the dust and still ever towards them.

"Sir Gilles!" the knight was shocked to hear young Sir Timoteo's voice cry out and to spot the young guard on top one of the horses.

"Well, I'll be..." another of the men whispered, spotting the other figure, "the kid actually found Senor Puss!".

Gilles smirked, why was he not surprised. "Timmy", he and the others spurred their horses forward and soon the two met.

"Do you have any idea how worried you have Princess Alessandra!". Despite his happiness, Gilles felt he needed to give this slight...well not lecture, not to a royal guard, but reminder on where the kid had gone wrong. Arguably, there was little different between the two.

"Well, but you found Senor Puss" another of the knights said, giving a slight bow to the cat of legend, "Senor, it is an honor yet again and thank you for at least taking Sir Timoteo's words seriously".

Puss nodded back, "De nada, Senor. Sir Timoteo would not seek to find me if it were not important and...after discovering what it is you all do face, of course I must come and help the Princessa out". This was said with his classic semi-dramatic pose.

"You will help us fight a shadow, Senor?" Gilles asked, a bit surprised.

"Not a shadow..." Timmy frowned, and handed the knights over the picture he had drawn.

"What is that?" one of them was quick to ask.

Puss took the question. "A legendary creature known as an Ogre. It terrorizes villages and destroys crops, spreading death and destruction in it's wake!".

"He found out about them today too, same as me" Timmy told the knights, killing Puss' knowledgable speech a bit as it seemed he didn't know much more on the creatures than they all did excepting what he'd heard.

"But...Senor" Gilles interrupted, shaking his head, "if it was a giant beast such as this looks like, I...I didn't see that, I saw a...".

"Shadow" Puss finished, "Yes, one of the things the good bar keep told us on the creatures is that some have the power of changing themselves into whatever they wish. They use it to further scare their victims".

"Well it works" Gilles muttered.

"H-How do you fight a shadow that can be anything?" another of the knights asked shakily.

"Oh sure...because the legendary cat believes it's real now we believe me when I say I saw something" Gilles muttered.

"And Sir Timoteo saw it too" another of his companions chimed in. Gilles just scowled. It was lovely, really it was, knowing cats had such precedent on being believed over him.

"I have a plan" Puss declared, "and a feeling that vanity in it's powers is this creatures biggest weakness; we shall use that. Now, please lead the way, we must hasten back to the castle before the Princessa and her other two guards meet trouble!"

Timmy had thought on this, and could only hope they were still ok and that he hadn't let up any in his duty to his siblings or the princessa; after all he had only left to gather help for them and now was coming back with said help.

Yes, the kitten thought as they all spurred their horses forward back towards the kingdom, now that Senor Puss in Boots was here, they would be fine.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Perla, Gonzalo, Princess Alessandra and the other knights with them slowly backed farther and farther, aiming to go up the dungeon stairs backwards as the tiger down there slowly stalked forward.<p>

"W-what do we...", the princess had just leaned to ask of any between guards and knights to have an idea, when the breath was stolen right out of her.

The tiger assumed a sort of glow about it and seemed to grow.

"What..." Gonzalo breathed, hardly believing what he was seeing.

A human shaped, bulky green figure took the tiger's place and a smirk came upon the wide toothed maw. "Well hello there Your Highness" the creature greeted in mock formality, and even if the short hair has put doubt on it, the voice suddenly identified one other thing. The creature was female. "or at least that is what you are called now" she went on.

Perla instantly recognized the sort of a threat that seemed held in the words. Female nor not, and the last to give any sort of favors for such fact, the kitten would not allow any to take Princess Alessandra's castle.

"What do you mean by that!" she demanded, pointing her sword.

The green creature, most definitely an Ogre(ss), glanced down to her and her smile grew. "Aw, how adorable" she bent, hands on his knees, still mocking by parody, this time parody of a sweet local lady speaking to a child, "the princess has a cute widdly kitty protecting her, oh excuse me, two of them", the ogress' smirk turned to take in Gonzalo as well.

Standing, she chuckled, "This shall be easy and this castle mine by sundown, if not sooner".

"You'll have to go through us first!" Gonzalo shouted. Also not put off the fact this creature was female. If she had frightened Timmy as she had, she was no-one deserving chivalry!

"Uh, better choice of words, Gonzalo..." Perla whispered, even if her sword stayed up and in guarding position. The knights spears clanked into a locking position of back up.

The Ogress merely laughed, "Have it your way boy!" she exclaimed. Suddenly rushing forward, she seized young Gonzalo by his uniform collar and drug the kitten forward.

Perla and the knights made to surge forward in aid of the other guard, when they paused as they realized this was complicated. Where once an Ogress and Gonzalo had stood, now two of Gonzalo seemingly stood, and whichever was the copy was hard to tell, even for Perla.

They also could not guess off position, as the scuffle had mixed that up as well, the creature's intent of course.

"Quickly!" one of the Gonzalo's leap up to the steps and pointed, "She's the creature! Creepily being me...Seize her!". Well, it sounded like him.

"No! She's lying! It's me!" the other of course defended, and all were shocked to find the voice sounded the same as well. Oh this creature had skill, scary skill!

The words made sense no matter who the liar was, also, so still the knights were paused.

"Perla! Attack her!" the one on the stairs insisted.

"No Perla! It's me, can't you tell that!".

Perla shut her eyes, unsure what to do.

With a growl, the one on the steps lunged towards the other and they tussled once more, off into the shadows.

Confused or not, and even if their spears may still be paused in uncertainty, it was still clear that one of the princess' guards was in danger and the knights surged forward to aid.


End file.
